We are distressed that a film about political issues of great importance for the Labour Movement is not going to be screened at the Walthamstow Trades Hall on October 17 as scheduled, despite 100 local people booking to attend.

It appears that the screening of ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn, The Big Lie’ by Waltham Forest Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WFPSC), was cancelled after complaints were sent to the Trades Hall. The organisers have not been told the content or origin of these complaints nor have they been allowed to make their case for the event going ahead.

We understand that a number of venues around the country have faced vociferous calls to ban this film, by people who want to prevent discussion of what it has to say about the Labour Party's handling of Antisemitism. We regard such pressure as an unacceptable threat to freedom of speech.  The event planned by WFPSC offered us the chance to discuss the film with a panel of speakers including two respected Jewish activists. Cancellation denies us the opportunity to hold the kind of constructive, respectful debate that has occurred at dozens of screenings across the UK over recent months.

We offer our support to any venue that resists demands to censor events they host and urge our Trades Hall to revoke cancellation of the event on October 17.